September 2024 – Parks & Recreation - 16

WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
Creating a Culture of Stewardship
Building on 30 years of National Public Lands Day
By Michael Pope
D
uring the summer of 1994, a small group of volunteers gathered for
the first National Public Lands Day (NPLD). With just two public
land sites and 700 volunteers, this event, orchestrated by Times Mirror
magazine, aimed to " build, spruce-up, and repair trails, fences,
signage, and structures, " on local public lands in California and Nevada.
Fast forward 30 years and NPLD
is now the largest single-day volunteer
effort for America's public
lands and a signature event of the
National Environmental Education
Foundation (NEEF). Held annually
on the fourth Saturday in September,
NPLD brings people together to
help restore, improve and enjoy our
country's treasured outdoor spaces.
Throughout the past decade, more
than 1 million volunteers have donated
nearly 5 million hours of their
time for public lands on NPLD,
worth an estimated $133 million.
" For over 30 years, National Public
Lands Day has been integral to
NEEF's mission of fostering a sustainable
future, " says Sara Espinoza,
president and CEO of NEEF.
" By uniting communities nationwide
in celebration and stewardship
of our public lands, NEEF continues
to champion their conservation
and vitality - for today and for generations
to come. "
NPLD offers people a chance to
connect with their communities and
establish deep, meaningful connections
with nature. Most importantly,
it's a showcase for the nation's public
lands and their capacity to provide
education, recreation, and overall
physical and mental health benefits.
Expand Your Volunteer Event
The enthusiasm
surrounding
NPLD also provides public land
managers with a valuable opportunity
to leverage that momentum to
recruit volunteers. Last year, more
than 40,000 volunteers participated
in more than 600 NPLD events
across the country, representing
$11.6 million in volunteer service.
NEEF's role in NPLD is to supNational
Public Lands Day is the largest
single-day volunteer effort for America's
public lands.
16 Parks & Recreation | SEP T EMBER 2 0 2 4 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
port the event planning efforts of
these land managers and report
on the impact of the day's volunteer
work. Through this process,
NEEF sees hundreds of creative
event ideas each year from all over
the nation, from beach clean-ups to
forest bathing and more.
According to Kelly Burnett, program
director for conservation at
NEEF, successful volunteer events
begin with a solid planning committee
that includes external parties,
such as diverse outdoor organizations,
youth engagement/leadership
groups, or traditional outdoor partners
like the National Audubon Society
or American Hiking Society.
Burnett also highlights that successful
NPLD events make good use
of professional photos that showcase
the diversity of the program, provide
event descriptions that detail any potential
barriers, and prioritize messaging
that is welcoming and inclusive
using " people-first " principles.
Build Future Engagement
An exciting and unique volunteer
event on NPLD can attract new audiences.
It's important to leverage this
engagement by ensuring your staff
illustrates the connection between
single-day service and its long-term
impacts on the park and local community.
If you are interested in learning
more about how your community
can get involved in this year's NPLD,
visit NEEFusa.org/NPLD.
Michael Pope is Director of Content
Marketing at the National Environmental
Education Foundation (mpope@neefusa.org).
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
https://www.neefusa.org/national-public-lands-day
September 2024 – Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2024 – Parks & Recreation
